rented flat+ damp

Fly_Baby

Actually I just checked - there is no extractor fan in my bathroom (so just in the kitchen). And still no mould either.

Fly_Baby

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Landlords cannot simply install extractors in flats, they would need the permission of the freeholder to make a hole in the building which is not a given. Most flats don't have any external doors at all, they open onto corridors which are in turn sealed off by fire doors. Most houses have one or more doors that open directly to outside or into a porch: this tends to mean a partial air change every time someone comes or goes.

You know about these things more than me. Useful reading, really.

In my experience, the most terrible mould ever was in a flat which had its own entrance. It would cover in black residue all over 2 living room walls and inside build-in wardrobes. The water went down the walls. No amount of heating or ventilating could help with it - and it was only a tiny studio.

The landlord kept insisting that it was because we dried clothes on radiators - he once noticed that when he came in without us and asked us not to do it any more. So we stopped doing that - but he still would imply that we had to be still drying wet clothes on radiators whenever we complained about mould and damp. And never did anything. So we just gave up and moved.

Fire_Fox

I can explain away anything, me!

Never even been inside a studio never mind lived in one but at a guess ... kitchen (wet area), bathroom (wet area), living area (breathing plus laundry). As you say 'we' I assume two people who'd be producing the same amount of water as we do in a two bedroom flat, except you presumably had half as much space for the water to escape to and fewer windows to open.

I'd say the problem is really lack of space the solution in that case would be a dehumidifier, which would have the added bonus of getting clothes dry fast so keeping your compact living area a bit less cluttered. :T

Fly_Baby

Fire_Fox wrote: »

I can explain away anything, me!

Never even been inside a studio never mind lived in one but at a guess ... kitchen (wet area), bathroom (wet area), living area (breathing plus laundry). As you say 'we' I assume two people who'd be producing the same amount of water as we do in a two bedroom flat, except you presumably had half as much space for the water to escape to and fewer windows to open.

I'd say the problem is really lack of space the solution in that case would be a dehumidifier, which would have the added bonus of getting clothes dry fast so keeping your compact living area a bit less cluttered. :T

That studio was more like a one-bedroom flat but with just one, albeit very spacious, room. I.e. the kitchen was separate and had a door so it could be closed, and had a window. Bathroom too was down the corridor away from the living area, again with its own window. What you say about two people living in one room actually made sense - but our landlord was more than happy to rent it to us. In fact he wanted it so much he even paid our agency fees. So he wasn't concerned about the number of people. Plus, we both worked and I also spent a lot of time away for work (months at a time) so my OH was there on his own - still no difference to the damp.

Actually we used to live in a real studio where everything was open plan and which was smaller in size, too - no damp/mould at all. :think:

Takana

This is an interesting and worrying thread. Here's my situation:

I also have a damp problem in my flat. We (my fianc! and me) have been living there for 4 years and was told the place had a rising damp problem when we moved in, but that it was 'fixed'. The external bedroom wall was completely redone. We had a dehumidifier when we moved in, but it was taken away 2 weeks later by the letting agent. We have since found out last week that it was ours to keep by the landlord!

Anyway, the damp problem has progressively got worse over the years. We show every letting agent when they do a flat visit and they always say to 'keep an eye on it'. Now the landlord is concerned and we are having another visit on Monday.

This thread is kinda worrying as I don't want the landlord blaming us when the flat was damp in the first place. I hope we haven't made it worse. If we have then fair enough, but how come nothing has been said before? We have an extractor fan in the bathroom, along with an open vent. The fan broke last year and we reported it. It has not been fixed and not seen as needed. The damp was just as bad even with it working. We were told on the recent visit that they weren't surprised it broke as it was too small for the bathroom. We can't open the two small windows as they are locked and the landlord knows this. But there is an open vent in the shower which causes the bathroom to drop to 1 - 2 degrees in the coldest months. It's like a permanent open window.

The damp in the bedroom has come back and has spread right up to the ceiling. You can't wipe it off, it's like it's under the surface and the wall crumbles away in places like rotten wood. We also have it on the wall behind our bed, where the pillows touch. I guess this is from us breathing?

There's more in the living room, all across the bay window. It's black in places. Again, I clean what I can, but most won't wipe off. We have the window above it open quite often.

We do have the heating on. Not as much as we would like due to expense, but regularly. And we have windows open when we can too, but due to open vents in the flat, there's already quite draughty. We don't do any washing/drying there as we have no washer/dryer. And I regularly used lids on pots or have the kitchen window open, or I can't see across the kitchen! The damp stays even in summer when all doors and windows are open, so we didn't think it could be us making it worse.

We are hoping the landlord is prepared to fix it. But are worried what will happen to us if we have to move out while they do it. I know we really should just move as we want to start a family and can't possibly in that flat, but we can't afford to move right now. In the mean time, the damp is getting worse. What can we do?

BitterAndTwisted

Get the flaming letting agents to replace that stolen dehumidifier for a start!

All of your problems should have been relayed to the landlord whose ultimate responsibility this is. Every single issue should have been put to the letting agents and the landlord in writing. Presumably the agents can see the obvious problems you've been enduring and if they have been liaising with the landlord then the landlord is aware of it and should have done something about it.

IF the landlord is going to do something about your damp problems which necessitates you not living there while it goes on it is the landlord's responsibility to house you.

Very often once tenants start insisting problems be addressed they can find themselves in receipt of a notice to quit if the landlord feels they can re-let without fixing what's broke. It has happened more than once.

Fire_Fox

If the damp is year round then it may not be condensation damp, or at least not only due to condensation. Best thing to do is to put your concerns to the landlord directly, in writing by recorded delivery. If your landlord does not take action then you will need to contact Environmental Health. There really should not be windows you cannot open as this may be a fire hazard.

clutton_2

"Main problem is in the bedroom, which must be from overnight breathing, and the landlord expects me to sleep all night in winter with the window open? "

i sleep with both bathroom and bedroom windows open a smidgeon all the time....

eco-friendly_2

I've not had one complaint from any of my tenants about mould in bathrooms, probably because the bathroom ceilings are all painted GLOSS BLACK.

:rotfl:

clutton_2

""the bathroom ceilings are all painted GLOSS BLACK"" - surely all that means is that you cannot see it.....